A Blog About My Traveling Escapades

How to Accomplish Small Business Success (And Feed Your Inner Marketing Aficionado)

Put on by Infusionsoft, ICON is a convention designed to help small businesses overcome that little black monster named defeat.

I don’t even own a small business and I got so much out of this convention (as any advertising buff will.) The seminars I attended gave some incredible insight into the marketing industry and what it takes to succeed in today’s progressive world. Below is a bit about the speakers that resonated with me.

Jon AcuffJon covered some very insightful information on what he calls the Career Savings Account. He focused on the importance of change, whether it’s voluntary or involuntary and positive or negative. Change is what drives our lives.

“It’s impossible to get stuck somewhere old if you keep learning something new.”

I’m keen to read his latest book, Do Over, and then give the book to my parents so they’ll stop doing nothing to change the jobs they perpetually complain about.

I’m also a fan of his position on kale chips:

“Kale chips taste exactly like potato chips if you’ve never had potato chips.”

Andrew DavisAndrew began his seminar with a hilarious, fast-paced (and unfortunately true) demonstration of how we search with today’s online resources. While not all of us end up purchasing Meat Loaf concert tickets after looking at pictures of peas and meatloaf on Flickr, he has a valid point.

The way we search is changing. Google may still hold the crown in the kingdom of search engines, but we’ve discovered and become loyal to sites that specialize in providing the commodity we’re looking for. Andrew uses that knowledge to teach you how to Claim Your Fame by turning your passion and personality into success.

Johnny EarleAnd then there was Johnny Earle, founder of Johnny Cupcakes. This is the guy who experienced entrepreneurial success at a very young age. Earning $300 a week selling candy bars to his classmates. This may have something to do with his down-to-earth personality. And the genuine vibe he gives off in his humble reactions to applause and recognition. Everyone wants to be his friend.

Johnny stressed the importance of being original. He found success (people camp out in the hundreds 24 hours before his events) in creating an everyday commodity because he understood that he had to be different and needed to create a unique experience for his customers.

“Everything in the world has been done before.”“People thrive off of new experiences.”“Strange is important – it sets you apart from the rest.”

Johnny knows what people want. He knows that people will spend $43 on a t-shirt there are only 100 of. A t-shirt that went unnoticed all day at the price of $25…(I may or may not have fallen victim to this brilliant marketing scheme.)